story: A National Olympic Committee (NOC) is a national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, NOCs are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games. They may nominate cities within their respective areas as candidates for future Olympic Games. NOCs also promote the development of athletes and training of coaches and officials at a national level within their geographies. 
  
  As of 2016, there are 206 NOCs: Each of the 193 member states of the United Nations; United Nations observer state Palestine; the Cook Islands, a state in free association with New Zealand whose capacity to participate in international organizations has been recognized by the United Nations Secretariat; and two states with limited recognition, Kosovo and Taiwan (designated as "Chinese Taipei" by the IOC). 
  
  There are also nine dependent territories with NOCs: 
  
  Prior to 1996, rules for recognising separate countries within the IOC were not as strict as those within the United Nations, which allowed these territories to field teams separately from their sovereign state. Following an amendment to the Olympic Charter in 1996, NOC recognition can only be granted after recognition as an independent state by the international community. Since the rule does not apply retroactively, the dependent territories which were recognised before the rule change are allowed to continue sending separate teams to the Olympics, while the Faroe Islands and Macau send their own Paralympic teams.
questions: How many NOCs were there in 2016?
questions: What does NOC stand for?
questions: So is there only one NOC per nation?
questions: Can you name two NOCs?
questions: What is one thing an NOC can do?
questions: Anything else?
questions: Is there an entity that controls NOCs?
questions: What is it called?
questions: How many dependent territories have NOCs?
questions: Was there an amendment to the Olympic Charter?
questions: When?
questions: Was it good retroactively?
questions: Did it have to do with recognition as an independent state?
questions: Could those 9 dependent territories keep participating?
questions: What kind of team does the Faroe Islands send?
questions: What kind of team does Macau send?
questions: How many member states does the Uniter Nations have?
questions: Can you name a United Nations observer state?
questions: Do the Cook Islands have something to do with New Zealand?
questions: What's another name for Taiwan?
answers: 206
answers: As of 2016, there are 206 NOCs:
answers: National Olympic Committee
answers: A National Olympic Committee (NOC) is a national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. 
answers: unknown
answers: unknown
answers: United Nations observer state Palestine and the Cook Islands
answers: As of 2016, there are 206 NOCs: Each of the 193 member states of the United Nations; United Nations observer state Palestine; the Cook Islands, a state in free association with New Zealand whose capacity to participate in international organizations has been recognized by the United Nations Secretariat; and two states with limited recognition, Kosovo and Taiwan (designated as "Chinese Taipei" by the IOC). 
answers: organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games
answers: A National Olympic Committee (NOC) is a national constituent of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, NOCs are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games.
answers: They nominate cities within their respective areas as candidates for future Olympic Games
answers: They may nominate cities within their respective areas as candidates for future Olympic Games
answers: Yes
answers:  Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, NOCs are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games.
answers: International Olympic Committee
answers: Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, NOCs are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games
answers: nine
answers: There are also nine dependent territories with NOCs: 
answers: Yes
answers: Following an amendment to the Olympic Charter in 1996, NOC recognition can only be granted after recognition as an independent state by the international community. 
answers: 1996
answers:  Following an amendment to the Olympic Charter in 1996, NOC recognition can only be granted after recognition as an independent state by the international community.
answers: no
answers: Since the rule does not apply retroactively, the dependent territories which were recognised before the rule change are allowed to continue sending separate teams to the Olympics, while the Faroe Islands and Macau send their own Paralympic teams.
answers: Yes
answers:  Following an amendment to the Olympic Charter in 1996, NOC recognition can only be granted after recognition as an independent state by the international community.
answers: Yes
answers: . Following an amendment to the Olympic Charter in 1996, NOC recognition can only be granted after recognition as an independent state by the international community. Since the rule does not apply retroactively, the dependent territories which were recognised before the rule change are allowed to continue sending separate teams to the Olympics, while the Faroe Islands and Macau send their own Paralympic teams.
answers: Paralympic
answers: Since the rule does not apply retroactively, the dependent territories which were recognised before the rule change are allowed to continue sending separate teams to the Olympics, while the Faroe Islands and Macau send their own Paralympic teams.
answers: Paralympic
answers: Since the rule does not apply retroactively, the dependent territories which were recognised before the rule change are allowed to continue sending separate teams to the Olympics, while the Faroe Islands and Macau send their own Paralympic teams.
answers: 193
answers: As of 2016, there are 206 NOCs: Each of the 193 member states of the United Nations; United Nations observer state Palestine; the Cook Islands, a state in free association with New Zealand whose capacity to participate in international organizations has been recognized by the United Nations Secretariat; and two states with limited recognition, Kosovo and Taiwan (designated as "Chinese Taipei" by the IOC). 
answers: Palestine
answers: Each of the 193 member states of the United Nations; United Nations observer state Palestine;
answers: Yes
answers: Each of the 193 member states of the United Nations; United Nations observer state Palestine; the Cook Islands, a state in free association with New Zealand whose capacity to participate in international organizations has been recognized by the United Nations Secretariat
answers: Chinese Taipei
answers:  and two states with limited recognition, Kosovo and Taiwan (designated as "Chinese Taipei" by the IOC). 